WASHINGTON — A Secret Service agent accused of sharing information about Vice President JD Vance’s travel schedule has been placed on administrative leave while the agency conducts an internal review.
The agent, whose name has not been released, is suspected of serving as a source for an MS Now report published last week. The story said members of Vance’s Secret Service detail were frustrated by what they viewed as the second family’s frequent last-minute travel plans and special requests.
“A member of the Vice Presidential Protective Division is the subject of an administrative investigation, and potential criminal inquiry, involving allegations of compromising operational and information security,” a Secret Service spokesperson told The Post Thursday.
“While we will not comment on the specifics of this matter, one principle is unequivocal: any conduct that potentially threatens the safety of a protectee will not be tolerated.”
CNN was the first to report that the agent had been placed on leave.
According to the MS Now report, Vance’s protective detail was recently asked to accompany the vice president and his son on Marine Two, the vice presidential helicopter, so the child could attend a golf lesson at Joint Base Andrews.
The helicopter trip was ultimately canceled because of poor weather, but MS Now reported that some agents viewed the request as inappropriate.
The outlet also said Vance and his wife, Usha, had taken “several” last-minute helicopter trips while searching for a home in northern Virginia. The Post reported this week that the couple are renting two of the four houses that make up Wolver Hill Farm, a 500-acre estate in Middleburg, Va., owned by federal contractor and data center developer Charles “Chuck” Kuhn.
Vance’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The agent’s suspension emerged as the Trump administration mounts a crackdown on leaks.
Earlier this month, four New York Times reporters were subpoenaed to testify about a story they reported on possible security flaws in Trump’s new Air Force One, a gift from the Gulf state of Qatar.
On Wednesday, Secret Service Director Sean Curran warned that the protective agency is facing one of the most difficult threat environments in its history, having opened probes of 10,000 threats so far this year.
“I think the environment has become very volatile and that’s just across the board, not just to our protectees but local officials. The threat picture and environment is as large as I’ve ever seen it,” Curran said.
The Vances have four young children and welcomed son Alec Neel to their family last week. They are the first vice presidential couple to have a new baby in more than 150 years.
Vance has kept busy with various assignments, including peace negotiations with Iran, which broke down earlier this month after Tehran attacked several vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
Additionally, the vice president has done a media tour to promote his new book, “Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith,” which hit bookshelves last month.
